Episode 86: Embracing the Whole You

David Figueroa

David Figueroa shares his story and journey of being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy since birth. Highlighting many struggles and successes throughout his time in the education system, successes as a former 3 sport athlete and 3 time state champion cyclist and is a current a middle school teacher He shares his story with many around the world, to show that there is a light among all the challenges behind it.

"If I can do it, so can you!!!"

Social media and contact information: https://linktr.ee/davidscpfitness65

Podcast Transcript:

Damaged Parents: [00:00:00] Welcome to the Relatively Damaged Podcast by Damaged Parents. Where labeled branded marked people come to learn, maybe just, maybe we're all a little bit damaged. Someone once told me it's safe to assume. 50% of the people I meet are struggling and feel wounded in some way.

I would venture to say it's closer to 100%. Every one of us is either currently struggling or has struggled with something that made us feel less than like we aren't good enough. We aren't capable. We are relatively damaged. And that's what we're here to talk about. In my ongoing investigation of the damaged self, I want to better understand how others view their own challenges.

Maybe it's not so much about the damage, maybe it's about our perception and how we deal with it. There is a deep commitment to becoming who we are meant to be. How do you do that? How do you find balance after a damaging experience? My hero is the damaged person. The one who faces seemingly insurmountable odds to come out on the other side hole.

Those who stared directly into the face of adversity with a Neal deem persistence to discover their purpose. These are the people who inspire me to be more fully me. Not in spite of my trials, but because of them, let's hear from another hero.

 Today's topic includes sensitive material, which may not be appropriate for children. This podcast is provided for informational purposes only, and is not intended as advice. The opinions expressed here were strictly those of the person who gave them.

Today, we're going to talk with David Figueroa. He has many roles in his life. Brother three sport athlete, champion, middle school teacher, and more. We'll talk about how he was born with cerebral palsy and has come to believe it is just a label let's talk

You made it back to Relatively Damaged by Damaged Parents. We've got David Figueroa here. He is going to share his journey with cerebral palsy. He's had that since birth, he's going to highlight his struggles, his successes, and probably we're going to gain a lot of wisdom from you today. I'm thinking, David, what are your thoughts?

David Figueroa: [00:02:19] I think so too, honestly, I mean there's years and years of experiences and hopefully it'll be enough to kind of convince parents. There's a whole different light at the end of the tunnel just gone down negatively.

Damaged Parents: [00:02:33] Yeah. One of the things that I had noticed when I was reading over some of your answers is that your biggest struggle is having individuals in our society where basically the label is cerebral palsy. And it seemed like from what I was reading, Well, it is a physical and intellectual disability. If the real problem seems to be the label that's put on it and maybe, maybe not seen as human.

David Figueroa: [00:03:05] right. uh, It can be very complex at times. Like, I've encountered people that are completely fine with it. They'll use the label, , and then there's people that. use the label, but they kind of,. misconstrued in a way, if I might word it correctly, where they assume it's intellectual and they assume that people are an individual cerebral palsy is not capable of being smart or being intelligent or just living.

Day-to-day just doing day to day activities, you know? and that's one of the things that I try to erase is don't judge someone by their label, but just by what they do, I'm David, the podcast or, or David, the teacher. That's what you want to be known as you don't want to be known as someone by a label.

Damaged Parents: [00:03:49] Yeah, I'm going to take it a step further and say you're David and being David is pretty amazing,

David Figueroa: [00:03:57] Exactly.

Damaged Parents: [00:03:58] Regardless of that struggle. And the physical capacity, because my understanding with cerebral palsy is it's just harder to physically do some things.

David Figueroa: [00:04:09] Oh, of course. And cerebral palsy is it varies from person to person. Some so I'm can be more severe than others. So some kids suffer from speech and impairment. They can from a hand-eye coordination, there could be situations neurologically, which impact the brain, which is my situation at birth. I was born like this due to lack of oxygen in the brain and four months premature.

And then there's some that can't verbally communicate, you know, so CP is very complex. It's a very complex disability.

Damaged Parents: [00:04:41] So my understanding though, is that there's, usually an injury either during birth or shortly thereafter, that, before you're born,  the assumption is there's a healthy baby in there and we're going to have a healthy child and then something happens and that's no longer the case anymore.

And I don't know if it's just through birth. I think can't the injury happened even later after the birth to where cerebral palsy ends up happening.

David Figueroa: [00:05:11] I'm not too sure about that, but what I do know is uh, some people may not go diagnose for a years and it could be years could be decades and you could eventually find out 20, 30 years down the line that you have CP and you don't even realize it. Because parents never took the time to go and actually diagnose you when you have, parents could assume that it's a completely different thing, but it could be CP.

You know, There've been, there's been instances where individuals have had misdiagnosis.

Damaged Parents: [00:05:39] Wow. So how do you even know if you have CP then?

What are they finding later or does something, maybe something shows up in the way that their body is behaving, that they find out.

David Figueroa: [00:05:54] It's, it's always based off the behavioral, the body uh, could be movements uh, with a way an individual acts or talks, you know, through, through testing, a lot of testing and just doctors observations. That's how you pretty much are able to get diagnosed. Like there is no, I don't think there is a self-diagnosis for CP, from what I know.

Damaged Parents: [00:06:13] Right. Okay. Yeah, no, I was just trying to figure out what they would see that would determine whether or not. CP, because my understanding is like you think you process like you are the same as me in, well, not the same quote unquote right as me, but your brain works just fine.

David Figueroa: [00:06:34] Exactly. It works the same.

Damaged Parents: [00:06:36] Yeah. I mean, I always think about being. You know, I also have disability. So I think and ponder on things like this a lot, because I did not expect my disability and I didn't grow up with it.. But I think of people with CP, even some of my friends who've really struggle to speak, you know, and how difficult that would be to live.

Without being able to communicate my needs and wants as clearly as others. And then have people talk to me, like, I don't know anything or really slow or what that would be like that could, I mean, I can't imagine.

David Figueroa: [00:07:15] I mean it's, not easy, but the one thing that I've learned to kind of, remedy that, so to say is to just get out there and formally educate formally advocate for yourself. Advocate for your peers that have similar challenges. It doesn't necessarily have to be CP, but they could be, they could have other various physical  intellectual disabilities or even invisible disabilities, which I have friends that have invisible disabilities.

They are constantly getting judged because people assume, oh, you look fine. But in reality, deep down inside you're struggling with something.

Damaged Parents: [00:07:52] Yeah. And it's not as obvious as having a disability that people can see. And recognize because when it's invisible, the assumption I think is made whenever, walking up to a new person that they're 100%, whatever that is

like maybe the assumption is that they're like, me.

David Figueroa: [00:08:14] Yeah. that could be a, you know, they could say, oh, she's just like her. You know, And people tend to do that. People tend to compare, other individual's diagnosis with other individuals and they assume that one particular disability is the same for everyone. No, that's not the case.

No, that's not the case at all. Let's put it out there and say it's, false. It's completely false. It's not true. They can suffer from similarities to your disability, but it's not completely the same.

Damaged Parents: [00:08:42] Right. I can just say that in, like I said, I've got a friend with CP who has struggles with his verbal skills because those muscles for him were impacted or the nerves that go to those muscles. I still am not the best at describing what happens in CP. And so I constantly have to be like, Hey, what?

I don't understand. What are you trying to say? And that's gotta be frustrating. I would think for him, and here you are, you've also got CP and you do a great job at articulating your words and your thoughts. , and so now you get to be a voice for the people who can't speak as well.

It seems like.

David Figueroa: [00:09:21] Exactly I see CP is not just a disability, but as a gift that was kind of given to me to be able to pass on to others and so that they learn more about it so that when they go on approach individuals with, with various kinds of CP to not be afraid of them at the end of the day, regardless of any kind of CP or any kind of disability that you might have, you're still human and humans at the end of the day are all the same.

We're all one. We're all one human. We have various disabilities in various situations, but we're all one at the end of the day.

Damaged Parents: [00:09:55] Okay. That's the second time today, I have heard that message that as humans, we are one. And we are the same. And I think that's really a beautiful message that the universe or God, or whomever is sending to me and to the listeners of this podcast. Because if I can look at you and recognize you as part of me, then I'm not seeing you as separate.

And I think that changes my perception and my perspective a little bit. What are your thoughts?

David Figueroa: [00:10:28] I agree with you, you know, it's all about changing the perception as the, as this quote is always out there. I've never judge a book by its cover. Have the chance to get to know the person, you know, it might, take you some extra time. They have a specific situation, but it doesn't mean that they're hard to get to know because I've been kind of situations or people.

I'll talk to someone friendly being cordial. Don't look at me. they'll look the other way. Then you may not acknowledge me, but I don't let it bother me. Cause I understand people are different. Not everybody's going to like you. And you have to learn to live with that. You have to be strong.

You have to understand

Damaged Parents: [00:11:09] Yeah. And it, it sounds like you're you allow them to be where they're at and you're not going to force them to be in a place they aren't yet.

David Figueroa: [00:11:18] Exactly. it's like with any topic out there, like religion politics, those are the kind of, if you think about it, those kind of topics that you don't want to force on anybody, but it really varies from individual to individual. So disability is kind of like in that spectrum,

Damaged Parents: [00:11:32] Right. And some people are comfortable with disabilities and other people are not. And. I don't know the way I think about it is, I don't know if you were Sesame Street watcher. Did you ever watch Sesame Street?

David Figueroa: [00:11:45] I did.

Damaged Parents: [00:11:46] One of these is not like the other, remember that the squares and we had to figure out what was different.

And I think sometimes when we don't see that the other people who are different. There's this well, I'm not sure what to do with that just as any human. Well, that's different. What do I do with that?

David Figueroa: [00:12:07] Yeah. I mean, it's like I mentioned earlier, everyone is pretty much at the end of the day is pretty much the same, differences are what makes us unique. And so it makes us stand out as individual. Because why would you want to be the same? Like everybody else, you want something that'll make you stand out. that?

will say this is Angela, or this is David and this is how he is. And. He like I've learned over the years, I've embraced my disability. I'm going to assume that you probably do as well. So our flaws are what  makes us who we are. That's what makes us unique.

Damaged Parents: [00:12:46] Yeah.

I think for me, I'm not sure if it's the same for you. Maybe you can talk about that. Like this flaw of mine has taken me on this journey. That's really beautiful. And I say beautiful in the sense that all of the emotions have been tied to it, and I've gotten to experience things I would not have experienced otherwise.

Would you agree

David Figueroa: [00:13:10] I would agree with that, disability something that really, it takes us into various different directions, but, but it all really depends at the end of day on, on you, what direction do you want to get? What path do you want to take? Do you want it take the path of feeling sorry for yourself and just be a negative and feeling self-pity or do you want to be positive, be that be an advocate, be the face of people who can't speak for themselves and just show this shine bright, show them what you can offer for despite your situation.

Damaged Parents: [00:13:46] Right. So why here in that a sense of, in a way you've got a choice what do you choose to be a victim or to be an advocate and find your strength.

So let's say because and I'm not sure if people born with disabilities struggle the same as people who gained them as they get older or not. Or I think there's probably some similarities along the way, and so if someone is in that situation where they recognize that they've basically got this learned helplessness, and they're utilizing the victim role, how.

How did you shift, or I don't know if you recognized the point in your life when you shifted or how would one recognize they need to shift and then how do they do it?

David Figueroa: [00:14:36] It's more of your support system. Who do you have? In your life it's available. Could be your parents, grandparents, your friends anyone in your life that influences you that plays a major role in your shift? When I was younger until the age of eight, I live with my biological mom and as many people know that I've shared my story before. She raised two sons.

One of them being complete body was my younger brother. And then there was me. I was the oldest one with cerebral palsy. However, at the time she was 16 years old when she had me and mind you, it's tough for any parents to raise a child with a disability, especially that young.

It's not easy at all, but fortunately I had my biological dad and my step-mom. They all worked together and saw an opportunity to help me achieve a lot of those milestones that

I wouldn't be able to do.

Damaged Parents: [00:15:38] So the doctors assume you weren't going to be able to

do these things.

David Figueroa: [00:15:42] I wasn't going to be able to walk, read, write live a normal life. And after my, my mother's passing my biological mother's passing. She passed away at 23 years old. My stepmom, she actually had to choose between living her youth and, enjoying life. finishing up her youth or raising me.

While going to school, I might add, she was going through school and had a full-time job with my dad. My dad was going to school too. He's an artist and that she chose to raise me and they get, and she saw so potential on me that she said, I'm going to give this kid the life that he deserves.

I'm not going to let him fall because when um, you become faced with that huge responsibility of being a step parent, especially to someone who has a disability, it's a major challenge for you to take that head on and not look back. That to me is to every parent out there. That's a hero, that's a real hero.

And I've always looked upon my parents, you know, and I do everything for my parents. Like, I mean, I made it through college. I'm an assistant teacher. Now I'm a podcaster. I do all these things.

because of them. Without them, I wouldn't be here.

Damaged Parents: [00:16:49] sounds like you had some pretty amazing people that were not only safe, but supportive to you. And so it sounds like what I'm hearing is make sure, if you have people that aren't your life, that aren't being supportive and they're not safe, then try to find those people.

David Figueroa: [00:17:07] Exactly. Don't rely on those that are unsafe because those are the ones that are going to drag you down to a, dark path. They won't get you anywhere.

Damaged Parents: [00:17:15] No. I also saw that you were a three time state champion cyclist. Is that your favorite sport. 

David Figueroa: [00:17:24] And it is, I was uh, a cyclist uh, geez, it's moved so long. Um,

about 20 years ago, I might say. And I did that for about. Three, three years and I competed at the local level and then the same level. And then I won three state titles. And then, when I was in high school, I was potentially being recruited to join

the Paralympics, because I was like good of an athlete, but, as I know, my, my body was just not the same as it was when I was younger and I also played two the sports. So it took a toll on my body physically. So I said, your mind is going to last forever, but your body isn't. So I took the route to college and never looked back, never went back.

Damaged Parents: [00:18:04] Yeah, I'm thinking you probably still go for rides.

David Figueroa: [00:18:07] I still do. I'm still, I'm still active.

Damaged Parents: [00:18:10] Yeah, because you've also got your fitness channel

David Figueroa: [00:18:14] Yes,

Damaged Parents: [00:18:14] and. I think that's fantastic because it's inspiring others to get moving. And I think there's something that happens in the body, in any body physical body when movement happens. And it doesn't change when a disability shows up.

David Figueroa: [00:18:31] That is true at the end of the day. It's all on you, whether you want to maintain a healthy lifestyle or not.

Damaged Parents: [00:18:37] Now I know, I'm kind of jumping around a little bit. I just, I really wanted to hit on the cycler. I love the fact that you're a middle school teacher and also, what. One of the things that you had said, I'm going to jump back to struggle a little bit here. Cause you did briefly touch on, on your, your younger brother in it's based on what you were saying.

Your younger brother didn't have the same he doesn't have cerebral palsy. don't know what

David Figueroa: [00:19:11] No,

no he's fully able bodied

Damaged Parents: [00:19:12] He's able-bodied. And so what was I'm thinking? I don't know. You're pretty cool as a person, it seems like. So I think you were probably a really neat older brother. How do you think that impacted him?

David Figueroa: [00:19:26] As we grew up post our mother's death, we were kind of estranged for a few years, but the best part about it is, and then really changed how we thought about each other. We've always been close. And it's stayed that way. Just recently, about two years ago, I was the best man at his wedding after we had been estranged for so many years.

And um, we talked about it, he said, I want you to be the best man at the wedding. Honestly, that was the last thing I thought, because, you know, we had been a stranger some of the years. Cause you, you assume that, We may be close, but we're not that close, but I guess that kind of solidified how we were.

I mean, it seems to be one of the best highlights in my life is just being, and being a part of that.

Damaged Parents: [00:20:10] Yeah, I think it's really interesting. I mean, you've been in, in my young family it's, there were five of us, in our twenties, everybody drifts apart. And then as people started getting married, we came back together again, you know, I'm not sure if that's similar to what had happened to you, but you know, our family family  can be amazing.

David Figueroa: [00:20:29] It can vary. It can be really amazing or they can drag you down.

Damaged Parents: [00:20:32] True.

David Figueroa: [00:20:33] It really depends on from family to family.

Damaged Parents: [00:20:35] You make a good point because that same family could be that the place that's not safe for someone with a disability.

David Figueroa: [00:20:42] Right.

Damaged Parents: [00:20:43] Ooh, that brings up a great question. I'm not certain if  we would have the answer, but even between us, but if you've got a disability and you're in a family environment, that's, maybe emotionally not healthy for you.

What do you do?

David Figueroa: [00:20:58] I would definitely seek help to the closest person. You might know that's a positive in your life. You could, seek help through  a friend or a counselor. Someone that you might know at school. Any anyone that you might think that you feel like you can confide in?

Definitely seek them out.

Damaged Parents: [00:21:15] Yeah, that would be really important. I think

for anyone feeling like they're in an unsafe environment.

So what,

hang on. I lost my train of thought there. Plus I heard a lovely dog in the background. Sounds like it, was it a dog?

David Figueroa: [00:21:31] Yeah.

she's just standing there looking at me, like, what are you doing?

Damaged Parents: [00:21:36] She says she wants to be part of the conversation.

That's just how it goes. Sometimes.

What would you say is the most important thing you've learned in your life?

David Figueroa: [00:21:46] The most important thing I've learned in my life? is to, be patient, be persistent, be positive. Don't let the negativity stop you from achieving your goals, your dreams, your aspirations, embrace your flaws and thus keep on moving forward.

Damaged Parents: [00:22:05] And before you learned all those things. What was life like before that?

David Figueroa: [00:22:09] I was living in a kind of split households sort of, so there are times where it could be very negative or times it could be very positive, but it was more positive than negative. So it kind of outweighed the, the tough situations. It's always been pretty much positive my life.

Damaged Parents: [00:22:30] What helped you hold on to those positive moments versus those negative moments?

David Figueroa: [00:22:35] Just thinking about my family,

Damaged Parents: [00:22:37] Yeah.

David Figueroa: [00:22:37] How they've always been there,

Damaged Parents: [00:22:38] yeah. What is your daily practice? Like? Do you have a meditation practice? I clearly you exercise, but what would be like a daily schedule for you?

David Figueroa: [00:22:47] No, I just, I just pretty much go about the day as, as normal, you know, I always think to myself, you know, it's another day to get out there and make a difference in someone's life. And that's how I go. That's how I pretty much I go about it.

Damaged Parents: [00:23:00] So it sounds like you're really driven by love for humanity and that you want to leave the world a better place. Am I on the right track with that?

David Figueroa: [00:23:09] You are.

Damaged Parents: [00:23:10] So every day, because you said you get up and you want to see what kind of difference you're going to make. I mean, to get out of the house, do you just make sure you talk to people? What do you do to make sure that that becomes a reality?

David Figueroa: [00:23:23] I pretty much get out of the house. Talk to people, maintain that communication because communication is so important, to establish relationships and to, keep that pattern going of spreading that positivity and breaking the habit of being negative all the time with toxic.

Damaged Parents: [00:23:40] So by communicating with others is actually helps. Keep you out of them. And negative mindset is what I think I'm hearing.

David Figueroa: [00:23:47] Exactly communication is key, right?

Damaged Parents: [00:23:50] I'm thinking there's something that happens when two people get together that, we can either take each other down this positive fulfilling role or go down this negative hurtful road.

What are your thoughts?

David Figueroa: [00:24:04] That really what happens is just your change and the way you, you see things. If you choose to see things negatively than negative things happen. And if you choose to see things positive, the positive things happen. it's a cycle. So if you go through the lesson, so negative things and negative things would always be there.

So I'm sorry,

Damaged Parents: [00:24:24] That's okay. What's your dog's name again?

David Figueroa: [00:24:27] We actually found her she's lost last week. So right now kind of holding onto her it's we find her actual owner, but we haven't had any luck yet, but I named her Blue in the meantime.

Damaged Parents: [00:24:40] Blue. that's fantastic. I love that. You're basically rescuing a dog.

David Figueroa: [00:24:45] Yeah.

And then last March, I believe I fostered two Pitbull Lab mixes that were eight weeks old  because they were, they were rescued from a kill, from a kill shelter. And because if they weren't, if they weren't admitted to the, to this shelter, they would have been euthanized or even killed.

So I take the initiative and just took them in and got them healthy. And then they were adopted eventually down the line.

Damaged Parents: [00:25:11] So you were not a foster fail, then  you were successfully able to find them homes. You did not keep them right.

David Figueroa: [00:25:19] Yeah, they were a handful.

 Damaged Parents: [00:25:22] I have two people in my life that are considered foster fails. They take in dogs with the intention of fostering them out and miserably fail every single time.

David Figueroa: [00:25:32] Yeah. It's it's not easy. That's for sure.

Damaged Parents: [00:25:34] Yeah. I'm thinking it's hard. It's I mean, based on my experience, I mean, so what do you have to think about when you foster out these wonderful animals that are when you foster them? Cause I'm thinking you probably fall in love with them on some level and then give them to the next person. And what do you have to do inside of yourself to be able to do that.

David Figueroa: [00:25:56] just think that they're going to uh, to good home,

Damaged Parents: [00:25:58] Yeah.

David Figueroa: [00:25:58] I mean, I think that. Realistically, with my schedule and how busy I am, that wouldn't be fair for them to stay here and me not give them enough time to give devote with them attention and someone else who could love them could.

Damaged Parents: [00:26:11] That's awesome. So you really have to put in your mind the positives of what the dogs are going to get at the next home. And they're only with you for a moment.

David Figueroa: [00:26:19] Exactly. Enjoy that moment.

Damaged Parents: [00:26:21] Yeah, really seriously. So you are so engaged in so many things, but I'm thinking there's gotta be a project or a dream. You have that if all barriers  to your dream were removed, what would that project be? Or what would you want to do?

David Figueroa: [00:26:41] I would like to speak to be a motivational speaker full-time as well as a podcaster. That's one of my main objectives or my main goal.

Damaged Parents: [00:26:49] Okay. I love that you want to be a podcaster full time. That's fantastic.

David Figueroa: [00:26:55] Yeah, well, it's kind of like art. It's a very difficult profession to really get into full-time it's not very not so to say lucrative, but it's very difficult to kind of, be financially stable in that kind of profession, but it is possible if you put it in the work, but for me, it's, not really about the financial gain.

It's about the gain to be able to really motivate people and inspire people around the world that we're capable of doing anything. We put our mind to regardless of a disability or situation that we face in our lives.

Damaged Parents: [00:27:31] Yeah, I agree with you 100%. And I think we're both in alignment on that, that, even then physical capacity does not matter. You know, I saw a post today, I think about, even as my journey got started what let's see, it was something to the effect of a parent.

All also parent needs is for it, for their heart to be working and in, the love sense.

David Figueroa: [00:28:00] I like that.

Damaged Parents: [00:28:01] yeah, and I'm thinking that's what you're talking about. As far as the podcast, this love for humanity.

David Figueroa: [00:28:07] You're right. I would, I would agree..

Damaged Parents: [00:28:10] Well, I'm glad that we're communicating well with each other,

David Figueroa: [00:28:13] Yeah, of course.

Damaged Parents: [00:28:15] Which is fantastic because sometimes, I'm sure you've had that experience where. you have a guest on and you just start connecting and you have to really work to understand. And it's nice to, feel like we're connecting and it's not really hard work.

David Figueroa: [00:28:31] Yeah, makes it a whole lot smoother.

Damaged Parents: [00:28:34] Yeah, it sure does. It sure does. Okay. What is the best compliment you've ever received?

David Figueroa: [00:28:41] Oh, there's too many very complex question. Just how straight forward and and how strong I am and how determined I am to really do well in life

Damaged Parents: [00:28:51] Okay. What does do well in life mean to you?

David Figueroa: [00:28:55] It means, more of like, The way, the way I see things in life, like my perspective of life, whether, I see a positive or not. And what do I do with that positivity? Or how do I channel it in everyday life?

Damaged Parents: [00:29:10] Okay, so doing well is managing that positivity and making sure it's in everyday life for you. So I just want to point out that that had nothing to do with financial success and everything to do with sharing who you are. And I think that's really beautiful.

David Figueroa: [00:29:29] Like I said, at the end of the day, the financial gain is great, but being able to move, people in a positive direction is even better.

Damaged Parents: [00:29:38] Yeah, that currency is priceless. There's more reward. I think in moving people than there is in, getting a piece of paper that says I have something,

Okay. Usually I around out the end of the podcast with three things, tips or tools you would recommend to the listeners that they could do today. We may or may not have already talked about them. So you can bring in anything that comes to mind.

David Figueroa: [00:30:05] Three tips um, be realistic with yourself as possible. So always know. What you can do and don't let anyone else push you to not do what you feel comfortable with, if you do something your own way, it's okay. to seek advice and to seek, criticism.

But if something works for you and it's really successful for you. Don't drift from it. Second, be happy for what you have, you might have a great family or great friends, and as someone with CP who has a job teaching, but we know that the disability demographic, when it comes to employee, It's so difficult, but if you do, for a great reason, have employment or, or you're achieving your dream.

Be blessed.

Damaged Parents: [00:30:55] I love that. I absolutely love that. David. I'm really glad I got to have you on the show today.

David Figueroa: [00:31:01] Thank you. I appreciate your time.

Damaged Parents: [00:31:03] Yeah, it's been fantastic.

 Thank you for listening to this week's episode of relatively damaged by damaged parents. We really enjoyed talking to David about how, regardless of our challenges, we are all human. We especially liked when he said. We are all one at the end of the day. To unite with other damaged people. Connect with us on Instagram. Look for damaged parents will be here next week. Still relatively damaged. See you then.